A cooling device primarily for cooling, e.g., integrated circuits or other electronic devices during operation may include a heat sink portion having a plurality of cooling vanes and a heat pipe chamber. Both the cooling vanes and the heat pipe chamber may be integrally formed within the heat sink portion. Because the heat pipe chamber is integrally formed with the cooling vanes, no joints exist between the condensing surface of the heat pipe chamber and the cooling vanes. This, in turn, allows extremely rapid and efficient heat transfer between the heat pipe chamber and the cooling vanes. The cooling device may include extensions of the main heat pipe chamber which project into each of the cooling vanes. In this manner, the condensing surface of the heat pipe chamber is actually moved into the vanes at a position very close to the surface of the vanes where heat transfer into the atmosphere occurs.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A cooling device for dissipating heat from a heat source, said cooling device comprising: a heat pipe chamber enclosed by at least a first wall portion and a second wall portion; said first wall portion including: a. a first wall portion outer surface adapted to contact said heat source, at least a portion of said first wall portion outer surface being a planar portion; b. a first wall portion inner surface oppositely disposed relative to said first wall portion outer surface, said first wall portion inner surface facing said heat pipe chamber; said second wall portion including: a. a second wall portion inner surface facing said heat pipe chamber; b. a second wall portion outer surface oppositely disposed with respect to said second wall portion inner surface; a plurality of cooling vanes extending from said second wall portion outer surface, said plurality of cooling vanes being integrally formed with said second wall portion; a fan chamber at least partially surrounded by said plurality of cooling vanes; a fan at least partially located within said fan chamber, said fan having a rotation axis; said rotation axis being perpendicular to said planar portion of said first wall portion outer surface; and wherein said at least a portion of said first wall portion is releasably, threadingly attached to the remainder of said cooling device.
2. The cooling device of claim 1 wherein said second wall portion outer surface comprises a curved profile.
3. The cooling device of claim 1 wherein said first wall portion inner surface has a first surface area, said second wall portion inner surface has a second surface area and said second surface area is larger than said first surface area.
4. A cooling device for dissipating heat from a heat source, said cooling device comprising: a heat pipe chamber enclosed by at least a first wall portion and a second wall portion; said first wall portion including: a. a first wall portion outer surface adapted to contact said heat source, at least a portion of said first wall portion outer surface being a planar portion; b. a first wall portion inner surface oppositely disposed relative to said first wall portion outer surface, said first wall portion inner surface facing said heat pipe chamber; said second wall portion including: a. a second wall portion inner surface facing said heat pipe chamber; b. a second wall portion outer surface oppositely disposed with respect to said second wall portion inner surface; a plurality of cooling vanes extending from said second wall portion outer surface, said plurality of cooling vanes being integrally formed with said second wall portion; a fan chamber at least partially surrounded by said plurality of cooling vanes; a fan at least partially located within said fan chamber, said fan having a rotation axis; said rotation axis being perpendicular to said planar portion of said first wall portion outer surface; wherein at least a portion of said first wall portion is releasably attached to the remainder of said cooling device; wherein at least a portion of said first wall portion includes threads formed thereon; wherein at least a portion of said second wall portion comprises threads formed thereon; and wherein said threads formed on said first wall portion are at least partially engaged with said threads formed on said second wall portion.
5. The cooling device of claim 4 wherein said second wall portion outer surface comprises a curved profile.
6. The cooling device of claim 4 wherein said first wall portion inner surface has a first surface area, said second wall portion inner surface has a second surface area and said second surface area is larger than said first surface area.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 30, 2002
January 17, 2006
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